Vial

As familiar and accessible as the QWERTY layout can be, typing on the same rectangular keyboard for extended periods of time may start to feel uncomfortable enough at times to cause wrist pain in the form of what is known as the carpal tunnel syndrome. While a variety of low-cost solutions ranging from standing desks and wrist rests can be adopted to alleviate the discomfort, those who are willing to retrain their muscle memory in an effort to combat this issue have the opportunity of either crafting their own keyboard or ordering a custom one that matches their preferences.

Ortholinear and split keyboards’ structures can deviate greatly from the standard structure, which is why some users may be compelled to create a layout matching the new key arrangement through dedicated utilities such as Vial. By directly interfacing with the peripheral at the HID level, the app can go beyond what is possible with scripting languages such as AutoHotKey and remap existing keys, as well as creating macros designed to augment your workflows.

Since the shortcuts can vary from one app to another, users have the ability of customizing and switching between multiple layouts depending on their needs. Those who put the effort into adding extra input methods such as knobs and scroll wheels will be able to benefit from the app’s support for rotary encoders for navigating webpages or adjusting media volume.